Bobby pin spreader assembly



United States Patent O 3,016,058 BOBBY PIN SPREADER ASSEMBLY William G. Clayton, 2665 Logan Ave., San Diego, Calif. Filed Dec. 2, 1957, Ser. No. 700,133 6 Claims. (Cl. 132-1) This invention relates generally to means for spreading or opening bobby pins and more particularly to a means and method of accomplishing such spreading in two stages.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a means and method for the spreading of bobby pins which 1s .extremely simple and acceptable from an aesthetic point of view so that the actual operation is easy for use by a beauty operator as well as for use by women who groom their own hair.

vAnother object of this invention is to provide, in combination with other apparatus, convenient means to handle the individual bobby pins as they are inserted in the hair and released when properly positioned.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel means whereby the pins are initially or partially' opened or spread and at the same time arranged so as to be conveniently transferred into a tool used in the actual insertion of the pins into the hair, the whole process, in both its stages, being easily accomplished by the use of one hand only, so that the other hand is freed for manipulation of the hair.

Another object of this invention is to provide apparatus for the purpose mentioned above which can be economically fabricated, easily packaged and transported and which, at least in one form thereof, can be conveniently carried in 4a ladys purse.

With these objects definitely in view, along with other objects which will appear hereinafter as this description proceeds, this invention resides in the two-stage method and the apparatus used therein and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an isometric View of the form of this invention featured by a wedge-shaped spreader removably securable in a small base and easily carried in a ladys purse, the figure including a representation. of a bobby pin and the spreader tool as positioned in what is referred to herein as the second stage of the method;

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view of the spreader tool, the upper portion of the barrel and the plastic sleeve handle being shown in Vertical cross section in order to disclose the plunger and the spring holding the plunger in retracted position;

FIGURE 3 is another elevational view of the spreader tool, showing this tool as rotated through 90 about a vertical axis, a portion of the socket at the lower end of the tool being broken away to show the construction of the spreader which may be referred to herein as the second spreader;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary elevational view of the lower end of the spreader tool with a bobby pin inserted therein and the plunger nearly fully retracted, a portion of the socket and barrel being broken away to show the underlying structure;

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 4 and showing the relationship of the parts when the spreader tool is first connected with a bobby pin and before the tool is pressed down to force the bobby pin into the socket;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary view of the lower end portion ot the spreader tool and showing armodied and FPice simplified form of the spreader which is inserted in the eye or looped end of the bobby pin; and

FIGURE 7 is an isometric view of the modified form of the apparatus used for the initial spreading of the bobby pins, this modi-tied form being characterized by two fences and a bobby pin-receiving tray.

Similar characters of reference indicate similar or identical elements or portions throughout the specification and throughout the diierent figures of the drawing.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, a fence 10, itself wedge-shaped, is removably mounted in a dove tail slot 12 extending longitudinally in Vthe upper face of a block or base 14. The fence 10 has incorporated therein a plurality of wedge-shaped spreaders 116 which constitute the bases or bights of slots laterally bounded by ribs or lands 18. In the form of the invention indicated in FIGURE l the wedge-shaped spreaders 16 are flared out as at 20. In other words, the slots delning the wedge-shaped spreaders are gradually reduced to zero depth at the line corresponding to the surface of the block of the base 14 so that the ends of the bobby pins, when pressed downwardly onto the wedge-shaped spreaders 16, nally engage the top surface 22 of the base 14, which surface constitutes a stop for the pins, said stop obviously necessarily being spaced from the small ends of the wedge-shaped spreaders 16 a distance less than the length of the bobby pins so thatthe looped end portions of the pins will be exposed for engagement by the second spreader hereinafter described in detail. This relative dimensioning is clearly indicated in FIGURES 1 and 5. This is exemplified by the end 24 of the bobby pin 26 in FIGURE 1.

In the modified form of the apparatus, illustrated in FIGURE 7, two fences 30 are providedand each of these fences has a plurality of wedge-shaped spreaders 32 dened by parallel, substantially vertical ribs or lands 34. MSmall horizontal surfaces 36 and 38 constitute stops against which the ends of the bobby pins are forced when the bobby pins are positioned on the wedge-shaped spreaders 32 in the first stage of the herein described method. In this form of the invention a tray 40 is formed integral with a base portion and the two fences 30, this If reference now be had to FIGURES 2 Iand 3, it will Vfirst be noted that the spreader tool comprises an elongated cylindrical body member or barrel 44 with a partially flattened end portion or socket 46. In one side of socket 46 there is a cut away portion or opening 48 dened in part by lateral wall portions 50 which function as guides for the eyey or looped end portion of the bobby pin as the tool is engaged into the eye or-looped end portion of the bobby pin. Substantially centrally of the opening 48 there -is provided a spreader 52, which may be considered the second spreader used in the herein disclosed method since it functions after the first mentioned spreader 16 or 32 for partially opening the bobby pins. This second spreader will ordinarily constitute a struckup portion of the wall of the socket opposed to the opening 48 and the spreader is preferably formed with a returned portion 54, as best'illustrated in FIGURE 3, so that the spreader is tapered toward the opening 48, this construction having been found to aid materially in guiding the spreader into the position thereof indicated best in FIGURE 5 at the commencement of the second stage of the herein disclosed method. Since the tool consti- -tutes an implement for carrying the bobby vpin to the '66 can be deleted as in FIGURE 4.

hair, it is provided with a plastic sleeve handle 56, coaxial Vwith and fixed to the Vextei surface f a major portion of the barrel 44. Aside from improving the appearance of the article, the plasic sleeve handle 56 aids the operator in securing a firm, comfortable nger grip on the tool.

A plunger 58 is co-axially and reciprocably bounded in the barrel 44. This plunger has 'a terminal knob 60 for finger actuation thereof and, -at the other end, terminates in a bobby pin-engaging head 62 which, for ease in assembly, maybe small enough to pass through the lbarrel 44 during initial 'assembly of the tool. A shoulder 64 is provided at an intermediate point in the plunger 58 and a spring 66 is arranged co-axially of the plunger and compressed between this shoulder 64 and inwardly projecting deformations 68 in the barrel 44 at the point of juncture of this barrel with the socket 46. This construction permits easy assembly of therdevice, since the plunger -and spring may be inserted into the barrel with the bobby pin-engaging head 62 extending into the yadjacent portion of the socket 46 and, while the plunger and spring are retained in this position, that illustrated in FIGUREZ, the deformations 68 may be struck into the barrel 44, whereafter the plunger is retained against complete withdrawalby the deformations Y acting as -a st-op engaging lthe head 62 in the limiting position indicated in FIGURE V2, and the deformations 68 also functioning as a stop against Vwhich -the spring A66 acts during the compression of the Vspring when the plunger `SSis pressed Afrom the position indicated in FIG- URE 4 as `in the ejection of the bobby pin from the tool vafter the bobby pin has been placed in the hair. It will be noted that they spring has been deleted in FIGURE 4 for reasons explained further on. A simpliiied form of s the second spreader is lillustrated at 70 in :FIGURE 6. This spreader 70 is slightly easier to manufacture although it. is not as easily inserted in the eye or looped end portion of the bo'bby .pinas the aforementioned spreader 5%54.

The operation of this invention has `already been referred to in some detail. In recapitulation, thesteps or stages of the method lherein disclosed include -a first step 'or stage in which the bobby pins areV forced onto the wedge-shaped spreaders toY assume the straddling position indicated inrFiGURE 5 ywherein the bobby pins are partially opened. With the bobby pin in this rst or partially opened position, the spreader -tool is engaged with the lbobby pin so that the spreader 52 'enters the eye or looped 'end portion of the bobby pin, this relationship also 'being shown in FIGURES. The tool is then pressed downwardly into the position indicated in FIGURES l and 4, the spreader 52 forcing the pin into completely opened position indicated in FIGURE 4. With the bofbby pin thus held in openedposition, it is a simple matter forl the operator to insert the bobby pin in the hair and'then depress the knob 69 to release the bobby pin. It is important -to note that, in the second stage or step, the bobby pin is opened so that it does not have any m-a- Yterial frictional contact with the Wedges 16 or 32 as it is being withdrawn from the fences or 30. This results -in the device lbeing completely operative by one hand.' The pins `can be placed on the fence with the parture yfrom the spirit and scope of this invention as For example, the spring Y Y VIn this case the plunger is forced to retract by the bobby pin `as the defined by theappended claims.

Vlooped end 'ofthe latter is `pushed into the tool. By way of yfurther example, the sleeve handle 56 can be of other material'or can be deleted. In the latter case, :the eX- terior surface of the barrel 44 can be knurled or otherwise treated according to the dictates Vof economy and appearance and the preference of the manufacturer.

I claim:

l. An assembly for spreading la bobby pin in two stages, said assembly comprising; a Wedge-shaped spreader upon which a bobby pin may be forced for first stage opening of the bobby pin; a supporting'base for said wedgeshaped spreader; a stop for engaging the end of one of Vthe legs of a bobby pin when the same is in partially opened position, said stop being a portion of said base and being spaced from the small end o-f said wedgeshaped spreader -a distance less than the length of a ybobby pinto be used withv said assembly, whereby the looped end portion of said bobby pin is exposed in spaced relation from said wedge-shaped spreader; and a spreader tool having a second spreader insertable into the looped end po-ntion of a bobby pin in said position for second stage opening of the bobby pin; said second spreader being dimensioned to open the bobby pin sulicieiitly to free it |from the lirst mentioned spreader; and saidV spreader being capable of use as `a handle in removing the opened bobby pin from the irst mentioned spreader and inserting the Ibobby pin in the hair.

Y 2. A two-stage method of preparing a bobby pin for insertion in the hair, comprising an initial step of forcing the bobby pin onto a wedge-shaped spreader to assume a partially opened position; a second step of inserting a second spreader into Ythe looped end portion of the bobby pin, while held in said partially opened position by said first spreader, to open the bobby pin to fully opened position and to hold the bobby pink in such fully opened position; and a third step of releasing the lbobby pin from the first mentioned spreader, by operation of the second spreader, and withdrawing the bobby ypin while ltill held in fully opened position, for insertion in the v an.

3. A bobby pin opener comprising: an elongated element comprising a tubular barrel having at one end` a partially flattened portion defining a socket; a spreader tixed in said socket; said attened Vportion having at one side thereof and yat the end thereof remote from said barrel an opening providing for access to said spreader from said one side of the socket, so that said spreader can be inserted into the loop end of `a lbobby pin.

4. A bobby pin opener comprising: an elongated element comprising a tubular barrel having at one end a partially attened portion defining a socket; a spreader fixed in said socket; said attened portion having at one side thereof and at the end thereofremote from said barrel lan opening providing for access to said spreader from said one side of the socket, so that said spreader can be inserted into the loop end of a bobby pin; a plungerv reciprocatively mounted in said barrel, said plunger hav- Ying a bobby pin-engaging head in said socket and a portion extending beyond the end of the barrel remote from said socket for finger actuation of the plunger.

5. A bobby pin opener comprising: an elongated ele-V ment comprising a tubular barrel having at one end a ypartially flattened portion defining a socket; `a spreader fixed in said socket; said flattened portion having at one side thereof and `at the end thereof remote from said barrel an opening providing for access to said spreader yfrom said one side of the socket, so that said spreader can be inserted into the loop endof a bobby pin; a plunger reciprocatively mounted in said barrel, said plunger having a bobby pin-engaging head in said socket and a portion extending beyond the end of the barrel remote from said socket for finger Iactuation of the plunger; a spring operatively connected to said plunger within said' barrel to urge the plunger into Athe position assumed thereby when a bobby pin has been forced into said` socket; said head ofthe plunger being small enough in dimension to permit insertion thereof through said barrel during the fabrication of the opener; said elongated element having a deformation adjacent to the juncture of said socket and barrel to prevent withdrawal of said head into said barrel and thus preventing disassembly of the plunger from the barrel.

6. A bobby pin opener comprising: a body member having a recessed portion, one end of said recessed p0rtion defining a socket whereiuto the loop end of a bobby pin may be pushed; a fixed spreader element in said 10 socket; a plunger reciprocatively mounted in said body member, said plunger having a head engaged by said loop end to retract the plunger, and said plunger constituting means for ejecting the bobby pin.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,230,394 Young Feb. 4, 1941 2,271,765 Hildebrand Feb. 3, 1942 2,444,378 Sewol June 29, 1948 2,481,209 Farnsworth Sept. 6, 1949 2,647,524 Heavens Aug. 4, 1953 2,777,450 Zipperlin Jan. 15, 1957 

